The present invention relates to a manifold valve with a position detecting function for detecting an operating position of a solenoid valve placed on a manifold base by using a magnet and a magnetometric sensor.
There is a known solenoid vale in which an operating position of a spool can be detected by using a magnet and a magnetometric sensor as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 2-66784, for example. This solenoid valve is formed by mounting the magnet to an outer periphery of the spool and mounting the magnetometric sensor for sensing magnetism to a casing. When the spool moves to one switching position, the magnetometric sensor senses the magnet and is turned on. When the spool moves to the other switching position, the magnetometric sensor is separated from the magnet and turned off. The magnetometric sensor is connected to a controller by a lead which is led outside from the casing of the solenoid valve.
On the other hand, solenoid valves of this type includes one used as a manifold valve when it is placed on a manifold base. This manifold valve is normally formed by placing one or more solenoid valves on the manifold base such that pressure fluid and power are supplied together to the respective solenoid valves through the manifold base.
In such a manifold valve, similarly to the above-described known art, it is possible to detect the operating positions of the respective solenoid valves by using the magnet and the magnetometric sensor. In this case, however, it is necessary to route a conductor outside the casing and to introduce and connect the conductor into an electric connection portion of the manifold base if the magnetometric sensor is mounted to the casing of the solenoid valve like in the know art. As a result, problems such as burdensome and disorderly wiring and interference of the conductor with other operations are likely to occur. Because the sensor connected by the conductor to the manifold base has to be detached from the casing or the conductor has to be cut off from the manifold base in order to separate the manifold base and the solenoid valve from each other in maintenance, handling is burdensome.
Although the above problems can be solved by providing insertion holes in the solenoid valve and the manifold base and guiding the conductor to the electric connection portion through the insertion holes, it is difficult to newly provide the through holes for the conductor because a plurality of flow paths, mounting holes, and the like are already provided to the solenoid valve and the manifold base in complicated manners.
It is a technical object of the present invention to provide a manifold valve in which mounting of a magnetometric sensor is easy and wiring is easy and which is easy to handle in maintenance and has a position detecting function.
To achieve the above object, according to the invention, there is provided a manifold valve formed by successively piling and integrally connecting a solenoid valve for controlling pressure fluid, a manifold base for supplying the pressure fluid and power to the solenoid valve, and an intermediate block disposed between the solenoid valve and the manifold base.
The solenoid valve includes a casing having a mounting face for mounting the solenoid valve to the intermediate block, a valve member for controlling fluid and provided in the casing, solenoid-type driving means for driving the valve member, a plurality of through holes opening in the mounting face of the casing, a magnet for detecting a position and provided to move in synchronization with the valve member, and a depression in which a sensor is to be mounted and which is provided to the mounting face of the casing so as to correspond to the magnet.
The manifold base includes a placing face on which the intermediate block is placed, a plurality of through holes opening in the placing face, and a first plug to be connected to a controller for controlling the solenoid valve.
The intermediate block includes a first mounting face on an upper face side and on which the solenoid valve is placed, a second mounting face on a bottom face side for placing the intermediate block on the manifold base, a plurality of connecting holes for connecting the through holes of the solenoid valve and the manifold base to one another, at least one magnetometric sensor disposed in a position on the first mounting face corresponding to the depression formed in the solenoid valve so as to project from the first mounting face toward the solenoid valve and fitted in the depression when the solenoid valve is placed on the first mounting face, and an insertion hole through which a conductor connecting the magnetometric sensor and the first plug is inserted.
In the manifold valve of the invention having the above structure, the intermediate block is disposed between the manifold base and the solenoid valve, the magnetometric sensor is provided to the intermediate block, and the insertion hole through which the conductor for connecting the magnetometric sensor and the first plug in the manifold base is inserted is formed. Therefore, mounting of the magnetometric sensor is easy and wiring is easy and can be carried out neatly because the conductor does not need to be routed outside. Moreover, because it is unnecessary to newly provide the insertion holes in the solenoid valve and the manifold base in which the plurality of flow paths, mounting holes, and the like are disposed in complicated manners, a structure is simple and design is easy.
The magnetometric sensor is provided to the intermediate block in the projecting state, the depression is formed in the casing of the solenoid valve, and the magnetometric sensor is mounted in a predetermined position in the depression by mounting the solenoid valve onto the intermediate block. Therefore, mounting of the magnetometric sensor is easy. Furthermore, because it is unnecessary to detach the magnetometric sensor from the manifold base and to cut off the conductor from the manifold base in separating the manifold base and the solenoid valve from each other for maintenance, handling is easy.
In the invention, it is preferable that a hollow projecting portion to be fitted in the depression is provided to the first mounting face of the intermediate block and the projecting portion functions as positioning means in connecting the intermediate block and the solenoid valve and as a holder for holding the magnetometric sensor projecting from the first mounting face of the intermediate block by housing the magnetometric sensor in the projecting portion.
According to a concrete structural mode of the invention, the solenoid valve is a spool-type solenoid valve, the driving means is one or two solenoid-operated pilot valve(s) and has on opposite sides of the valve member pistons respectively operated by operation of pilot fluid. The magnet is mounted to any of the valve member and the pistons or a magnet holder is disposed between one of the pistons and the valve member to move in synchronization with the piston and the valve member and the magnet is mounted to the magnet holder.
It is preferable that the magnet is mounted to be separated from the pressure fluid or the pilot fluid.